Lap-by-Lap: Texas (cont'd)

Lap 36 -- Pit road is open:
• Martin Truex Jr. ducks onto pit road for four tires and adjustments
• Matt Kenseth gets left-side tires
• Jimmie Johnson gets tires and fuel
• David Gilliland gains four spots and is eighth off
• Jeff Burton's crew works on the rear fender of his car

Lap 35 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 4: Debris is on the track again, again from Jeff Burton's car.

Lap 34 -- Jeff Burton has a piece of metal hanging from his right-rear. NASCAR is evaluating the potential problem it could entail.

Lap 32 -- GREEN FLAG: Martin Truex Jr. leads the field to green.
1. Martin Truex Jr.
2. Kurt Busch
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Juan Montoya

Lap 29 -- Paul Menard has more damage, this time on the left-front fender. Pit road is open:
• Kyle Busch is in for two tires and a chassis adjustment
• Casey Mears gets two tires and an adjustment
• Tony Raines is in to check possible damage

Lap 28 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 3: Debris is in Turn 3 from Jeff Burton's car.

Lap 26 -- LEAD CHANGE: Martin Truex Jr. sails below Jeff Gordon to take the lead once again.

Lap 23 -- GREEN FLAG: Jeff Gordon gets the race under way again.
1. Jeff Gordon
2. Martin Truex Jr.
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Kurt Busch
5. Ryan Newman

Lap 20 -- Pit road is open for a quickie caution.

Lap 19 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 2: A.J. Allmendinger cuts a right-side tire and has some damage after slapping the wall.

Lap 19 -- GREEN FLAG: Jeff Gordon gets the race back under way.
1. Jeff Gordon
2. Ryan Newman
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Matt Kenseth
5. Carl Edwards

Lap 16 -- LEAD CHANGE: Jeff Gordon gains the lead by winning the race off pit road.
• Pit-road penalties include Greg Biffle, Reed Sorenson, Bill Elliott and Paul Menard.

Lap 15 -- Leaders head to pit road:
• Jeff Gordon gets right-side tires only and fuel
• Jimmie Johnson gets four tires and an air-pressure adjustment
• Matt Kenseth gains nine spots and is out fourth with two tires
• Denny Hamlin is the big loser on pit road, dropping six positions
• A.J. Allmendinger gets the free pass

Lap 14 -- YELLOW FLAG NO. 1: Paul Menard gets loose and spins in Turns 3 and 4. Menard made slight contact with the wall.

Lap 6 -- LEAD CHANGE: Juan Montoya slips underneath Martin Truex Jr. to take the lead.

Lap 5 -- Jeff Gordon has fallen back to fifth position but has slowed his drop.

Lap 3 -- A.J. Allmendinger slows and goes to the top of the track. He's headed to pit road after brushing the wall. Allmendinger started in fifth.

Lap 1 -- Pole-sitter Martin Truex Jr. pulls out to lead the first lap for five bonus points.

3:37 p.m. -- GREEN FLAG: Martin Truex Jr. and Jeff Gordon get the Dickies 500 under way from Texas.

3:31 p.m. -- Cars are rolling onto the racetrack.

3:28 p.m. -- Dallas Mavericks player Dirk Nowitzki gives the command: "Gentlemen, start your engines!"

3:21 p.m. -- The Texas Christian University band performs the national anthem.

3:20 p.m. -- Dr. Roger Marsh delivers the invocation.

3 p.m. -- ABC's pre-race coverage of the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway is on the air.

2:45 p.m. ET -- It's sunny and 78 degrees at Texas Motor Speedway and less than an hour away from the green flag.

WEEKEND HEADLINES
• Oval win in near future? Montoya's crew thinks so
• Franchitti forges bond with Special Olympians in Texas
• Hendrick crew chiefs find strength in differences
• Chasers pack seven in top 15 in Texas Cup qualifying
• Another first one for the one who drives the No. 1
• Coleman signs Cup deal with Hall of Fame Racing
• Smith: No plans to move race from N.H. to Las Vegas
• Portable dispenser led to contaminated Atlanta fuel
• Leaders to close season on tracks that aren't their best
• Leaders Gordon, Johnson chasing their first win at Texas